The Challenge Contest: Judges

Terry Brodie

Terry Brodie is an award-winning veteran reporter and editor who has worked for numerous media outlets in Canada and abroad, including The Globe and Mail since 1996. Before moving over to the Web and small business coverage last year to become an editor for Report on Small Business, she previously oversaw a variety of sections of The Globe, most recently as editor of Globe Careers for seven years.

Past work experiences range from The Financial Times of Canada, CHUM Radio and The London Free Press in Canada to Crain's Cleveland Business in the United States. and Newsview Magazine in Israel. Her freelance work has appeared in publications including Business Week, Maclean's Magazine, Investors Daily and Jerusalem Report.

Terry has an Honours Bachelor of Journalism degree with a combined major in sociology from Carleton University, a year of further studies at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and graduated from the Canadian Securities Course.

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Steve Tustin

Steve Tustin is an Editor with the Globe and Mail's Custom Content Group. Before joining The Globe, Steve was, for five years, the Assistant Managing Editor, Special Sections at The Toronto Star. In that role, he oversaw the creation and production of all Special Sections and Special Reports in print and online. He was also responsible for the weekly print and digital automotive, travel and real estate sections. Prior to that he also served as The Star's City Editor, Weekend Editor and Sports Editor.

As part of the CCG team, Steve is involved in helping create and deliver the more than 200 editorial print and digital projects produced each year in this growing area.

Evan Carmichael

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. At the age of 19, he became an owner and chief operating officer in Redasoft, a biotechnology software company. The company quickly grew to over 300 organizations as clients, including NASA and Johnson & Johnson, in 30 countries. After selling the company he went into venture capital working with Northern Crown Capital to help entrepreneurial companies raise between $500,000 and $15 million to grow their businesses.

He started Evan Carmichael Communications Group and created www.EvanCarmichael.com with the goal to give entrepreneurs the motivation to follow their passion and the strategies they need to succeed. EvanCarmichael.com has helped over 14 million entrepreneurs so far and has over 750,000 monthly visitors, 6463 contributing authors, and 295,000 pages of content.

Evan has also delivered more than 100 keynote presentations to entrepreneurs in North America, Europe, and Asia. He has been featured as an entrepreneurial expert for magazines, newspapers, radio, and television and is a recognized small business authority. Recent mentions include the New York Times, Forbes, and the Wall Street Journal.

He works with brands to help them connect to the entrepreneur community. Some of the companies he's worked with include: Microsoft, Xerox, Google, Telus, SAGE, SAP, BlackBerry, Staples, LinkedIn, and Network Solutions.

Evan graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelors degree in Commerce and Finance.

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Jim Senko

Jim Senko has a wide ranging mandate within TELUS. He currently maintains 2 key roles in the organisation including leading the Business Mobility portfolio for both SMB and Enterprise as well as leading the SMB marketing team across all WLN and WLS products and services. In this capacity he drives pricing, channel, and marketing programs with the aim to reduce CLEC loss via bundling, and to drive profitable growth in mobility by driving smartphone, mobile broadband and application adoption while managing down exposure on the MIKE network.

Prior to joining TELUS, Jim was Vice President and leader of Cap Gemini's Telecommunications practice in the UK, where he was responsible for business development, delivery and people development for a UK Telecom & Media consulting practice. Prior to that, also with Cap Gemini, he spent 4 years as a senior project, client and team manager accountable for business development and delivery of strategic and operational change for clients in the telecommunications and media industry group. His background includes over 10 years of international management experience with Tier 1 Consulting firms including KPMG.

Jim has a BSc, Operations Management from The Pennsylvania State University, and lives in Toronto with his wife and son.

Sean Stanleigh

Sean Stanleigh is the editor of the Report on Small Business properties at The Globe and Mail, Canada's National Newspaper.

He co-ordinates coverage across three platforms: web, magazine and newspaper. His goal is to make Report on Small Business the country's most important destination for readers who want information and compelling stories on Canada's entrepreneurial community, which continues to grow in size and influence.

Chris Griffiths

Chris Griffiths started his first business at the age of nineteen. Since then, he has started or acquired 6 other companies including Garrison Guitars, a multi-million dollar acoustic guitar factory which he started from scratch in 1999 sold to Gibson Guitars in 2007.

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Griffiths has a diversified range of Board experiences including a Director of Newfoundland Power where he also served as its Chair of Audit and Risk. Griffiths has also served as the Chairman of the Canada Export Advisory Committee to the Minister of International Trade; the Chairman of the Music Industry Association of Canada; Director of the Canadian Youth Business Foundation; and a frequent volunteer to other organizations including the JUNO's, Canada's Top 20 Under 20, the St. John's Board of Trade as well as the Association for Manufacturing Excellence.

Chris Griffiths currently operates a boutique business consulting practice where he works with companies of all sizes to develop and commercialize new products, grow their businesses and implement Lean Enterprise Practices in all aspects of their operations. Chris has consulted with musical instrument companies, software companies, shoe manufacturers, the fashion industry, consumer products companies and a start-up with a proprietary wave energy device.

When not traveling the world in support of his clients, Griffiths resides in the small, lakeside town of Grafton, Ontario with his wife of 12 years and his three young children; Jack, 9; Paige, 7; and Quinn, 4.